Let's face the facts, car maintenance isn't usually a favorite pursuit for the majority of car owners. But regular maintenance is vital to keeping your car running smoothly and avoiding unnecessary repairs that crop up if you let scheduled services pass you by.

Many modern automobiles are so refined that you can hardly hear their engines anymore, but don’t be lulled into complacency—there’s still a combustion cycle taking place under the hood, and catastrophic overheating remains a remote possibility. That’s why you should periodically check your vehicle’s temperature gauge while driving. Every gauge has a normal stopping point once the engine is warmed up; it’s usually a bit below the midpoint line between cold and hot. It’s probably not a doomsday scenario for your engine if your gauge ever reads anywhere above normal, but it could easily become one if you don’t take prompt action. Here are the steps you’ll need to know.

It’s easier than ever to keep your car running smoothly for thousands of miles. If your vehicle has less than 50,000 miles on it today, chances are it still has 75 percent of its driving life ahead of it. That’s good news if you’re like the majority of Americans who are holding onto their vehicles longer that ever before.

It wasn’t that long ago that hitting the 100,000-mile mark on the odometer was a major milestone. Today, vehicles are built to last. With the proper maintenance and attention, there’s no reason you shouldn’t expect to see that 50,000-mile reading on the odometer one day roll right past 200,000 and keep on going. Here’s how to make that happen.

Unless you use your vehicle to tow everyday for work, odds are you haven’t paid much attention to your truck, SUV or crossover’s towing capacity. Maybe you’re looking to buy a boat for some summer fun or just need to rent a trailer to get your belongings from one dwelling to the next. Whatever the reason for pulling something behind your vehicle, it’s important to get a firm grasp on what exactly your towing capacity means. Understanding how each of the components in your vehicle contributes to your overall tow rating can keep you from putting undue stress on your rig and keep you and your family safe.

Watching a vehicle odometer roll over to the 100,000-mile mark used to be a really big deal. It was a short-lived celebration, however; with a few exceptions, many older cars and trucks just didn’t last much beyond their 100,000-mile birthday. Fast forward to today’s vehicles and it’s a vastly different landscape. At the end of 2013, the average age of a vehicle on the road was 11.4 years – an all-time high. Multiply that by the fact that Americans drive, on average, between 10,000 and 12,000 miles annually and the equation yields millions of cars and trucks on the road today displaying more than 100,000 miles on their odometer.

With Valentine’s Day here, it’s time to go all out and lavish your special someone with flowers and chocolates. But don’t let the focus completely slip away from your non-human companions. That’s right—cars need love too, and unlike humans, they’ll never tell you that they’re just not that into you. Here, then, are four heartfelt ways to renew your bond with your vehicle and show it how much you care.